Update: There has been a very prompt resolution to the problem below. When I originally made the complaint I expected StatCounter to have been aware of all the ads that they serve. Apparently that isn’t the case. But Aodhan from StatCounter managed to find this post and ask for some screen prints and source code when I sent it to him, they agreed that the ads were bad and apologized about it on their blog and removed the ad. Very impressive quick reaction to something I posted on such a small blog. I also happened to see a different, non-expanding ad for SuperPages that must have replaced the one I show the screen shot of below.
Thanks StatCounter.
I’ll start using their forum if I see something like that again now that I know that it might make a difference.
I’ll leave the original so that everybody can see what happened and how quickly they responded.
[Here is the start of the original]
I am so sick of the little expanding ads that expand right over the stats on the report screens of StatCounter. When I click the close button for the ad I am way up in the upper right hand corner and when I move back toward the stats section to click on a link to a different report, the ad expands again.
I’m all for big ads, annoying ads, flashing ads, whatever on a site providing a free service. Ads don’t really ever bother me. But when the ads start to physically inhibit my ability to use the site, I will start getting annoyed and looking for other services. I’m actually already getting similar stats from a few other places (FeedBurner, MyBlogLog, Performancing (testing and just never got rid of it) ). I also hated the ads StatCounter had that started talking to me loudly when the page loaded.
I already quit using ESPN because I do not like their ads.
Update: Here is a screenshot of the ad that is annoying me. Aodhan, I’ll send this and the source code to your email:
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Hi,
I’m very sorry to hear you are having trouble with the ads on StatCounter. We are very selective of the ads we show and I am not aware of us showing ads that would inhibit your use. Or indeed ads that would start talking to you.
This is very strange and I’d like to get to the bottom of this. Could you email a screenshot of one of these ads and the source code for the StatCounter page generating these annoying ads.
Once again I apologise for any trouble you have been experiencing and would love to get to the bottom of it.
Aodhan
StatCounter Team
I haven’t noticed the audio ads for a little while. I remember using my laptop in bed late at night and having them wake up my wife a couple times a couple months back. I remember the smiley faces.
I haven’t seen any of the expanding ads today, but there was one ad campaign that I saw a ton yesterday. I wish I could remember who it was. If I ever see another one, I will send you a screenshot/source code.
Both the audio ones from the past and the expanding ones were the ones in the top-right part of the screen.